The in-person part of a Ceremonia retreat is one week, with accommodation and meals included. Around it sit two online months: preparation before, integration after. Preparation includes a free six-week course called Have a Great Trip, with one short module a week, a ten-minute daily sit, and a single question to work with: "What's that like?" The course is open whether your ceremony is next month or years away.

Screening is the first step of the safety model. Every medical intake is reviewed by a nurse practitioner, and a prescriber leads on any medication question. The page is direct that some medications and health histories mean a retreat is not the right step right now, and that a taper often takes one to two months. It also states plainly that nobody should stop or change a medication on their own.

During the retreat week, groups run to a maximum of 20, with at least one facilitator for every four participants and a family nurse practitioner on site. The page frames much of what makes a ceremony hard as a nervous system that does not feel safe, and treats capacity as something built by practice rather than something you either have or don't.

Afterwards comes a month of online integration, then an alumni community the page describes as lasting for life. The organisation reports 412+ alumni, 60+ retreats held, and reviews across Senja, Retreat Guru and WeTravel.

Austin Mao founded Ceremonia, spoke at TEDxBoulder in September 2024 on the question "Will Psychedelics Destroy Society?", and hosts the Modern Enlightenment podcast. He facilitates alongside Tamara Golden and Jo Ann Forristal; all three hold a Colorado natural medicine facilitator licence, and Jo Ann is a family nurse practitioner who is on site during the retreat. The page is explicit that it does not promise transformation, only "the integrity of the container".

The two in-person retreats differ in setting and substance. Awaken takes place in Sedalia, Colorado, about 45 minutes from Denver International Airport, over six days with three psilocybin ceremonies, and is pitched at first-timers. Heal takes place in Baja, Mexico, over seven days with three ayahuasca ceremonies held by a traditional shamanic team. The page notes that the Colorado ceremonies are held as religious practice under RFRA, while Heal in Baja is not framed that way.

What's included

- One week in person with accommodation and meals included - Three ceremonies during the retreat week - At least one facilitator for every four participants - A family nurse practitioner on site during the retreat - A free connection call with a team member before applying - A medical intake reviewed by a nurse practitioner - One month of online preparation - One month of online integration after the retreat - Alumni community for life

What's not included

- Travel to and from the retreat - Medication tapers or changes, which are led by your own prescriber - Anything beyond the retreat week, unless booked separately (for example Awaken at Home) - Costs not stated on the page

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